Menedelia landed in her fortress, in front of the wooden house. It was an abandoned house when she first comes here to get away from the madness that happened to her, and she made it her own.

Ahhhh... thirty years have gone by so quickly.

Her nostrils picked up the scent of delicious dishes originating from the house. Rebecca is cooking lunch.

She arrived in time!

She entered the house and walked straight to the kitchen. "What are you cooking? It smells delicious!" she stated.

"I'm cooking chicken curry with coconut milk, curry powder, and herbs..." Rebbeca said, grinning.

Menedelia salivated while looking at the pot. "I'm getting hungry!" she said and sat on the table.

"I will let it simmer a few minutes more, and I'm done cooking," Rebecca said.

Half an hour later, the two women were already eating lunch at the table in comfortable silence.

After eating, Menedelia left the house and went to her favorite spot. She lowered herself on the wooden bench located under the shade of the Acacia tree.

She stared at the horizon and breathed deeply.

Her mind journeyed back to memory lane thirty years ago.

~~~Flashback~~~

She and Evelyn were kindred spirits. They love going on adventures together. Evelyn gave her a nickname, Mende.

It's one of those days...

During one of their adventures.

It's been five times already that they visited the abandoned manor located in the middle of the forest. The manor looks deserted on the outside but inside is a different thing.

It's beautiful inside, there are so many things to see... blooming flowers in the garden, majestic fountains... and the manor doesn't look abandoned at all on the inside.

They found a handsome guy swimming in the lake at the back of the manor.

"Wow, he's so handsome!" Evelyn giggled.

"Shh...be quiet... he will know that an intruder invaded his home. We don't want him to know that we come to his home without permission!" Mende warned her friend.

Evelyn nods her head and stopped talking, instead she stared in awe at the handsome guy swimming in the lake. She was mesmerized by his good looks.

Mende looked at her friend and rolled her eyes. "Come on, let's go home now!"

"Wait, I'm not done yet admiring at his handsome face," Evelyn replied.

"Let's just come back here the other day," Mende said.

Evelyn pouted. "Alright, let's go home!"

Mende grabbed her friend's arms, and they teleported back to Evelyn's room in the manor.

Unknown to them, the guy swimming in the lake was smirking.

The two friends landed in the bed laughing together.

"Isn't he gorgeous?" Evelyn gushes.

"You mean the guy swimming in the lake?"

"Yes! No one else! He's so handsome!" Evelyn giggled.

"It's already three times that we saw him swimming in the lake every time we visited that place. Is he showing off his great physique to us?" Mende said jokingly.

"And I like it!" Evelyn gushes.

Mende's eyes widened. "Oh my, you're having a crush on him?"

"Yesssssssssss!" Evelyn admitted. "Can't wait to see him again! Can we go back there tomorrow? Please?" she begged.

"I think we shouldn't go back to that place anymore," Mende refused.

"B-but why?" Evelyn asked, panicking.

"I don't trust that guy," Mende replied.

Evelyn pouted. "We haven't talked to him yet, and you already judge him?"

Mende shrugged. "Alright, I'm going home now. See you tomorrow!" she said.

"Wait... don't go yet!" Evelyn protested.

Mende shook her head. "I gotta go!" she said and initiated the teleportation process in her mind.

She vanished from Evelyn's room in split seconds.

The following day.

Mende is back in Evelyn's room.

"Friend, take me back to that manor in the forest! Please?" Evelyn begged.

"No!"

"Pretty please!" Evelyn begged her. "We won't stay there for long!" she promised.

After one hour of constant begging, Mende finally relented. "Fine! This will be the last day that we will visit that place, okay?"

"OK!" Evelyn said. "Let's go now!" she said excitedly.

Mende holds her friend's arm, and they teleported back to the manor.

They quickly entered the manor and went to the backyard to the location of the lake. But the girls didn't find the handsome guy there.

Evelyn looked at the lake, she wore a disappointed look on her face. "Where is he?" she said in dismay.

"Are you looking for me, girls?" a male voice suddenly came out of nowhere.

They turned around and looked at the owner of the voice, there he is! Standing a few meters away from them.

'Wow! He is extremely good-looking,' Mende thought to herself.

Evelyn's eyes gleamed excitedly. "Hello... are you the owner of this place?" she asked.

The guy smiled brightly. "No. This place is owned by my grandparents. They're not here right now. So, I'm the caretaker of this place as of the moment," he replied.

"We're sorry that we entered your place without asking your permission. We're naturally curious. I hope you will forgive us," Evelyn apologized.

"No problem. You can visit this place anytime. You are welcome here!" the guy said.

Evelyn's eyes widened in happiness. "Really-?"

"Yeah, sure!" the guy said.

"Um... what's your name?" Evelyn asked the handsome guy.

"My name is Rigor. How about you girls? May I know your names?" he asked.

"My name is Evelyn, and this is Mende, my best friend!" Evelyn replied cheerfully.

"Nice meeting you, girls. Would you like to come with me? I will show you around. The castle looks crumbling outside, and it badly needs repairs. My grandparents are going to hire people to renovate this place soon," he explained.

"Ah, okay..." Evelyn said.

Mende was silent the whole time, studying and observing the guy.

"Girls, come with me inside!" the guy invited them over.

Evelyn grabbed Mende's hands, they followed Rigor inside the manor.

They come to the living room, and there was an old sofa and some antique furniture scattered all around the area.

"Have a seat, ladies! I'm sorry, the place is a bit shabby. I arrived here two weeks ago to take care of the place while my grandparents are on vacation," he explained.

Evelyn smiled at him. "No need to apologize, we understand," she said.

"Would you like a drink? I have some apples and oranges in the kitchen. Wait here for a moment. I'll get them for you," he said and walked into the hallway.

Evelyn and Mende watched Rigor's back walking towards the end of the hallway and disappeared into one of the doors.

"OMG! He's so handsome! I love the sound of his voice, so manly!" Evelyn giggled.

Mende rolled her eyes. "Don't fall in love with him! Today is the last time we come here. Let's go home now!" she said and stood up, ready to leave the place.

Evelyn grabbed Mende's hands, forcing her to sit back on the couch. "Just a few minutes, please? It's a rude attitude if Rigor comes back here and finds out that the guest already left without saying goodbye. Where are your good manners?" she reprimanded her friend.

"Alright, but don't eat the foods that he will give you! I don't trust him! He's too good to be true!" Mende warned her.

"Okay, fine!" Evelyn said.

They saw Rigor coming back to the living room, carrying a wooden tray with oranges and apples. He put the tray on the center table. "The fresh fruits are here! Enjoy them, ladies!" he said in a delighted voice.

"No thanks. I'm not hungry," Mende said, refusing to eat the fruits.

Rigor's face fell. "How about you, beauty?" he asked the other girl.

Evelyn smiled and grabbed one red apple. "I'm not hungry, too. But I will bring it to my house. I will eat it later," she said.

Rigor smiled. "Okay..."

"We will go home now," Mende said and stood up.

"Oh, why? It's still too early. But anyways... I want to give Evelyn something. Wait for a second please..." he said and rose to his feet, he went in the direction of the garden.

Mende grabbed her friend's arms. "Let's go!"

"Let's just wait until he comebacks!" Evelyn begged her friend.

Mende pouted and rolled her eyes.

A few minutes later.

Rigor returned to the living room holding a bouquet of red roses and gave it to Evelyn. "This is for you, beauty! I hope we see each other again soon!" he said and winked at her.

Evelyn accepted the roses, her heart melted right on the spot. "Thank you for the beautiful flowers!" she said, smiling brightly at him.

"We're going home now," Mende said and grabbed her friend's hands. They walked in the direction of the entrance of the manor.

"Girls, wait... I'll accompany you out," Rigor offered.

The girls walked towards the entrance of the manor and exited the gate.

"Bye, girls! Come here again soon!" Rigor said, waving his hands at the girls.

Evelyn waved back at him.

The moment the girls reached the tree, Mende teleported themselves back to Evelyn's house.

They landed inside Evelyn's room.

Mende looked at the red apple and red roses. "Throw them outside!" she ordered.

"No, I won't!" Evelyn said, refusing to throw the meaningful gifts that she received from her crush.

Mende sighed. "Fine, just don't eat the apple, okay?"

"I won't, promise!" Evelyn assured her.

"Alright, I will go home now. I'll come back here if I have free time," Mende said.

"Take care, friend," Evelyn said. She fixed her gaze on the red roses that she was holding in her hands, smiling happily.

Mende shook her head, then sighed heavily. She vanished from the room a few seconds later.

Evelyn arranged the flowers in the flower vase. She giggled in happiness, remembering so well Rigor's hypnotic eyes looking at her. His magnetic look can melt a heart of stone. When he winked at her! OMG! Her heart jumped up and down in her rib cage.

Then her face fell. Sad to say, she will never see Rigor again. Mende will never bring her again to that manor.

Hours went by.

That evening, after dinner.

Evelyn was standing beside the window, staring at the full moon and the stars shining brightly in the sky.

That night, during bedtime.

Evelyn was tossing in the bed, she can't sleep. She keeps thinking of Rigor!

It was near midnight when her body and mind finally succumbed to a night of deep sleep.

While Evelyn was sleeping soundly.

Suddenly, the red roses glowed in the dark, producing a faint light that traveled towards the window. Outside, a solitary figure was standing on the ground, looking at the window.

Evelyn dreamed of Rigor in her sleep.

In her dream, he visited her at her house and brought her a bouquet of red roses.

The following day.

After breakfast, Evelyn was shocked when the servant informed her that a handsome guy named Rigor wants to see her. He was waiting outside the gate.

She can't believe it! Her dream last night suddenly come true!

Evelyn bolted towards the gate and found the smiling Rigor standing outside the gate, holding a bouquet of red roses.

"Good morning, my dearest, Evelyn!" Rigor uttered his greetings, showering her with his dazzling smile.

That very moment, Evelyn was floating in cloud 9.

...

And that is how their love story begins, that ended in tragedy.